Off to the Mother land we go!

This past summer, before making the move to Miami, the Buccios took an unforgettable trip (roadtrip included) to the beautiful country of Sicily. Or as I like to call it, Coco's motherland. We absolutely loved Sicily. My husband's family hails from Ragusa so we really wanted to get to know the country and all it's fabulous towns. We went for the sole purpose of exploring the beaches. I definitely recommend renting a car. That's what we did and we are so glad we did it. We got to see so much more of the country and see the landscape, sit in traffic with the locals, go up and down winding roads, drive by vineyards and flower fields.  Plus we got to go at our own pace. We flew to Rome and from Rome we flew into Catania. We rented the car in Catania and drove to our first stop- Taormina. It was my favorite city. We stayed at a wonderful hotel in town and it had transportation to the beach so it was perfect or us. It's called Villa Paradiso. They were very hospitable and charming. We explored on our own, asked the hotel and some locals for suggestions. The piazza overlooking the sea with a view of Mt. Etna was glorious. Here are some of the restaurants we visited: Il Gatapardo, Ristorante da Lorenzo, Il Baccanale. The last was owned by a Cuban family that left Cuba and had made Sicily their home. They were absolutely lovely. The best part of eating in these quaint restaurants in the middle of side street was that while we waited for our food, I was able to walk around and play with Maya in and around the winding roads. 

Our next stop was Siracusa. Another beautiful town. The hotel where we stayed at, was one of our favorites. It was called Hotel Minareto. It was located in the beach section of the city and when we wanted to go into town, we would drive the 10-15 minutes to get there. Siracusa is a great town with lots of great restaurants and piazzas and churches. The streets are narrow with so much character. One of my favorite places was this little wine bar in one of those streets where we sat outside and just people watched. It was called La Vinera Cafe. Dinner was even better at Trattoria La Foglia. It was such a nice dining experience.  On another night we went to one of the most popular pizzerias with the locals and we could barely walk once we finished eating. It was unreal. I recommend it. Called Castello Florentino. We caught a concert while walking through the piazza and took some incredible pictures of Maya by the marina. 

The next pit stop on our itinerary was a day trip to the town of Ragusa where my husband's family is from. Tons of rich history and we literally saw the whole town on foot. It has some of the most breathtaking views when you make your way from New Ragusa to the Old Town of Ragusa. The cathedral of Saint Giovanni is definitely a must- see. Once we had lunch and finished our sightseeing of the town, we made our way to Agrigento. We stayed on Agrigento's seaside at a hotel we definitely DO NOT recommend. Bahia Ulyssees. It prides itself on being a wellness spa but i dont see anything "well" about having to pay for lounge chairs at a hotel you are already paying to stay at. We didn't explore the town center since we were seaside, so there's not much I can tell you about it. However, the seaside promenade had some great seafood restaurants and some of the best gelato in town. It reminded me a European Atlantic City boardwalk- a little classier, just as unpolished but still fun to be a part of. 

Our last and final stop was Palermo, which grew on me after a day. It's a grittier and less refined version of Rome but still with lots of personality and some impressive architecture and buildings like the cathedral and the Teatro Massimo where The Godfather 3 was filmed.  We had one of the best meals at this local spot called, Al Vecchietti and Il Biondo another night. But I mean, does anyone ever have a bad meal anywhere in Italy? I think it's virtually impossible. Cooking good, hearty food is in their blood. On another day, we drove to Cefalu beach which was so amazing because the beach and the picturesque town coexist within the same landscape. There you are, laying on your lounge chair, soaking up the Sicilian sun, and there's a 300 year old church right behind up. It was a nice getaway only an hour and change from Palermo. 

And with that, we concluded our Sicilian holiday vacation! We were there for 8 days and felt we got to see and do a lot of this great country. If it's not in your travel radar, what are you waiting for?! It's a must see country ready to be explored and loved! 

 Taormina

 Paradiso beach in Taormina

 Piazza in Taormina

 Siracusa beaches

 Pizza! pizza! at Castello Florentino (Siracusa)

 Siracusa

 Streets of Siracusa

 La Vinera Cafe in Siracusa

 Ragusa

 Ragusa

 Gelato in Agrigento

 Catedrale of Palermo

 Teatro Massimo

 Calamari Fritto at Il Vecchietti

Hanging out at Il Biondo

This Little Love of Mine.

 Alexander Antonio Alvarez

 Love at first sight.

The new generation.

If there is anyone that ever said or believed that miracles do not exist, I am here to debunk that statement. Not only do they exist, I was beyond blessed to have witnessed one in the last few days. 

On November 19th, at 12:27pm, a little boy came into this world. His name is Alexander Antonio Alvarez. His name sounds bold and royal and that's because he is. He's a BIG deal and not because of all the "oohs and ahhs" that come along with the birth of a new bundle, but because it took some time- a long time -for him to get here. And now that he is here, what was once a dream and a lingering "What if and will it ever be" became a reality. He was worth the wait.

That wouldn't have been possible if not for my aunt's tenacity and strong spirit. Their journey was not an easy one and without faith and modern medicine, I don't think many would have been able to withstand the heartbreak, the false hope, or the crippling hurdles that many times plague couples struggling with infertility. Why do women often feel at fault or like failures if they can't conceive? Does it make them any less able or fit to be mothers? Absolutely not. It is nothing to be ashamed of. It is disease, one that we have no control over but with the progress of modern medicine, can be somehow remedied (most of the time). There is hope. And then there's that inevitable question many ask, "Why are certain women who should not be having children getting pregnant while those that long and yearn for a child of their own, struggle? We may never understand why that happens. 

I am not here to speak about my aunt and uncle's road to parenthood. That is their personal story that belongs to them and I will respect that on my blog. But I will say that I look up to them even more for never giving up even when the odds were not in their favor. It was so easy for them to say, "maybe it just wasn't meant to be." But they overcame and conquered. Their commitment to each other, from the difficult missteps to the moment Alexander wailed his first cry, was the most powerful sign of love to be witnessed. They were a team and they had each other's love and support to keep pushing them further and further. It is a true testament of what wonderful, selfless, and caring parents they will be and have already become. Watching them these couple of days as they step into their new roles and get to know the tiniest member of their growing family, I am left with awe and hope of how miracles really do exist. 

Food Truck Frenzy.

Wheelin' and Dealin' Street Food Festival at the Magic City Casino

I'm a little late to the food truck trend. It's not so much that I was late, but each time I would come down from New York, I would miss the Miami food trucks events by a day or a weekend. Our schedules just never meshed. If they only knew how much I loved food, especially food on the go, they would make an exception. Right? Or is that just wishful thinking?! But as a wise person (I wonder who) once said, better late than never.

Last month, the food truck stars aligned and we were so pumped to go to their latest event at the Magic City Casino grounds. They call it the Wheelin' Dealin' Street Food Festival (http://burgerbeast.com/wheelin-dealin/) and the Buccios (including my mini foodie) were ready to eat. We came with empty stomachs and hungry eyes. The food festival comes to the casino every third Saturday of the month and they also make an appearance at the Wynwood Art Walk on the second Saturday of the month. Mark your calendars!

A good twenty trucks were lined up all along an enclosed lots and already I was overwhelmed and famished. We needed a plan of attack- fast. So first we did a walk-by of all the trucks and checked out the menus, gauged what we were in the mood for, then picked a handful of trucks to try. Since we knew this wouldn't be our last visit to the trucks and we had no interest in walking out with food babies, we picked our top favorites and went to town. We narrowed it down to- Crazydilla and HipPops for me, Ms. Cheezious for Coco and Maya, and Poblanos Mexican Fusion for Coco. None of the trucks disappointed. That goes to show you- good quality food can come from anywhere, even the back of a truck. I had a bite of Coco's original grilled cheese from Ms. Cheezious and it was amazeballs! It's comfort food to the max with a nice buttery taste on the toast. Maya loved it too. She's never met a grilled cheese she didn't like but this one was munched down at rapid speed.

Hello Grilled cheese! Ms. Cheezious

I had a Cubadilla at Crazydillas and it rocked. Imagine a Cuban sandwich served on a pressed quesadilla. It was so savory, I didn't even mind that the sauce was dripping all over my hands and fingers. The way I see it, more for later! Coco loved his burrito from Poblanos. Since I didn't taste it, I asked Coco for one sentence review. His answer, "They got it right." We couldn't finish the night without desserts. Would it be cupcakes, pies, or pops? What about gelato pops?! Sold! We've never had a gelato pop so that was a no brainer. Coco ordered the chocolate and I ordered the Passion fruit. The verdict- creamy and rich! Yum! Just ask Maya who devoured Coco's chocolate gelato. By the look of the chocolate mess on her face and the happy dance that came afterwards, something tells me she liked it.

So this week we're heading back for more. It's such an economical way to dine out and enjoy the local flavors of Miami in a laid back scene. Bring the kids, bring a date, and bring a hearty appetite. You won't be disappointed!

The Cubadilla from Crazydilla.

Enjoying our gelato pops from HipPops.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

I Ate My Way Through the Week. Literally.

I'm not one to complain about dining out or eating a good meal. Especially when someone else prepares it for me. And usually that task falls on my husband or a chef. In the case of this week, it fell on many chefs. I ate at 5 different restaurants and for the most part, all very superlative. I literally ate my way through the week.

I'm going to start off with my least favorite experience, which happens to be at a restaurant I normally love so I'm going to chalk it up to a bad day in the kitchen. I'm a big fan of Pub Belly Sushi- all the Pub Belly restaurants actually- so imagine my surprise (and my stomach's) when a recent lunch left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I ordered my favorite rolls as usual and those didn't disappoint, but I was still feeling hungry. I decided to order the tuna tartare. I mean, everything else was great so why not the tartare? I should also mention that it was as cold as Siberia in that restaurant. I wasn't the only one shivering and I did detect a few blue fingers on my hand. I think that also contributed to the unpleasantness. Another thing I should mention is that I'm a huge fan of tartare. One of the best tartares I've ever had was by chef Edwin Bellanco- first at Morrell Wine Bar and then at his super-chic-I-can't-believe-it's-in-midtown restaurant, Vitae, in Manhattan. I mean, it's perfectly sliced with the right amount of acidity and doesn't over power the freshness of the tuna. I could eat it morning, afternoon and night, but then I would probably get mercury poisoning or turn different shades of blue. So back to Pubbelly. When my tuna dish arrived it LOOKED good but it was a whole different ballgame when I took a bite. It was slimy. like Ghostbusters slimy, way too salty and extra chewy. No bueno. I took some extra bites and put it on the crackers but that didn't help. I gave up. I waved my culinary white flag. Do you know that feeling when you eat something that grosses you out and you just can't get the taste of it or the thought of it out of your head no matter how much water you gulp? That was me with this tuna tartare. Now, I don't want to cross out Pubbelly Sushi off the list, because like I said, I am still a fan of their menu, but you can bet I will not be ordering that tartare again. Forgiven but not forgotten.

Fast forward a couple of days later and I FINALLY was able to erase any last trace of the bad tartare out of my memory box. And how did I do that? With another tartare! (gasp!) My father-in-law was in town (our first official house guest!) and we went out to celebrate Coco's exam results and decided to check out Buena Vista Bistro. I hadn't been there since my birthday 2009 and after that meal I thought, "where have I been the last 4 years?" I decided to go big or go home after spotting the "award winning tuna tartare" on the menu. I asked our waiter "Yep it's true. Named best tuna tartare in Miami four years in a row by the New Times." I was impressed-and bold- and ordered. Well, IT BLEW MY MIND. Pub Belly who? This tartare was epic. A nice dose of lemon gives it that extra kick and it has some seaweed in it that adds a saltier element to the dish. It was refreshing, filling, and the perfect meal to make me forget about that "whatchamacallit?" Yeah, exactly.

The "award winning" tuna tartare from Buena Vista Bistro.

Our other foodie "aha moment!" came courtesy of Oak Tavern in the design district. This time, Coco and I were continuing the celebration solo (we like to celebrate everything! Isn't that what life is about?)   and I am so glad we got to experience this dining experience as a party of 2. Everything was absolutely delicious starting with the oxtail bone marrow as an appetizer. I never met a bone marrow I didn't like. Coco and I sucked every last drop out of that bone and drizzled it on these crispy crackers. Every bite was divine! For my main entree, I went for the seared scallops on a bed of capers. Now, scallops can be a tricky dish. If it's not done right, it's awful, inedible, and you will probably have a disagreeable experience later. But I was so glad I went for it because they were 110% perfectly cooked. They were juicy without being oily and crispy without being overdone or burnt. It was a slam dunk to my palette. And can you believe I even shared with Coco?! I hate sharing but I needed him to experience it with me. Now that's true love. But the tour de force of the meal awaited us at dessert. We ordered a French favorite, a pot de creme, with creme friache, caramel and sea salt. Coco and I became those obnoxious people that practically had a food orgasm, making awful noises that every table could hear. As Coco said, "this is like nothing I ever had before." It went so quickly, I couldn't even take a picture. It was that amazing. Coco and I are still talking about it two days later. 

Seared scallops at Oak Tavern (picture is not edible).

That really concludes my must mentions. That's not to say that the other restaurants were bad. They weren't. Out of convenience and comfort of knowing that the food is always good, we hit up NoVe sushi bar one night. It doesn't hurt that it's in the lobby of our building. And last night, a big group of us and our chirren checked out Butcher Shop and Beer Garden in Wynwood. It was a great spot with good food- obviously great meat- and very kid friendly (as in they were super cool that our girls tagged up their counter with Disney Princess stickers and thought it was "art"). I'm not a beer drinker, but the consensus was the they had ample selection and everything recommended turned out to be "good stuff." But I can tell you that the burger was out of this world. I definitely recommend this spot for big groups and rowdy friends. Oh yeah, and the Butcher Shop Sundae.  They should call it the Hunger Games dessert. If you think you're going to come out alive from sharing this amazingness, you may want to reconsider hiding the spoons. Did someone say ice cream and bacon?!

survival of the fittest. 

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kat 

Guess who's Bizzack!

Blog minions! I have returned.

My fingers are a little rusty and I greet you with some trepidation, cold feet anxiety, and change. Lots and lots of change. My last post was March 9, 2012- a week after we brought our first born home. Fast forward a year and a half later, and our baby is no longer a baby and New York is no longer our home- well, it IS our home, it's just no longer where we live (but that's for a different blog post and a whole other bottle of wine).

I cracked open my laptop today at a nearby coffee shop and decided to just let my mind go and my fingers wander. I'm letting it flow for this post. It has no direction and no purpose other than to offer a short and sweet "hello, I'm back" and give the wheels in my head a bit of a pre-writing warm up. I don't want to completely shock the system.

It feels good to write. I've missed it. And thanks to a an awesome Cuban nanny I pay $80 each Monday, I get to indulge in whatever "me" time activities my little heart desires. Today it's resumes, emails, Facebook stalking and blogging. Who knows what next Monday will bring. But surely some more blog posts are in my future.

I don't want to unleash the heavy in this warm up post, so I'll keep it simple and superficial. I do want to share though, that I have joined the ranks of the technologically advanced and finally gave in to a Kindle. It has changed my life. My husband is delighted one more paperback book will not overrun our tiny apartment; yet, Barnes and Nobles is crying into many pages over my lack of purchases each week. I carry my Kindle in my purse and read whenever I get a chance to. It's so convenient and simple. I won't lie and say it wasn't difficult to give up on the mountains of books I owned. I'm old school. I love the way pages in a book smell, the way they feel when they've been turned one too many times, or even when they've been loved by greasy fingers. For book worms, there is no greater feeling than buying a crispy new book and opening it up for the first time. I thought my transition would be met with withdrawals, shakes, and yearning. Instead, it was smooth sailing. There was a little bit of guilt but I got over that fast. It also helped that most of my books got damaged in my sister in law's house because of a basement leak. We had been storing some of our stuff there before the move. It was a sign from the universe. So instead of being angry and sad, I was glad someone else did the dirty work for me. I was ready to let go. Now I've drank the kindle kool-aid and I could not be happier.

That's it for me. Easy does it. Next couple of posts I'll be wearing my heart on my sleeve and diving deep into change. There is just so much to discuss and so much to be thankful for. And I'm thankful I get to share my journey with you.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kat